Greatest test cricket all-rounders

Originally posted by Red Night
I had never heard of Don Bradman until I read about him on this website. I have come to really admire the guy from what I've read about him on the internet, particularly his love for the game of baseball.

BTW, a lot of americans feel the same way about their sports heroes.

As it should be.

Originally posted by dan182
That is a hell of a call.

Flower carried my home nation - tough job.
I am sticking with Gilly on account of how destructive he can be.

Flower (both of them) were great cricketers.

Adam seems to be struggling a bit nowadays, in both forms of the game. For specifically test all-rounder performance I would put Sangakkara at one and Boucher at 2 (one of these days AB de Villiers - man that guy has talent coming out of his ears) above him.

Originally posted by mtthw
Test stats with added catches. I've also added Tony Greig, who also looks like he belongs on the list (let me know if anyone else should be added).

(Tests - runs - batting average - wickets - bowling average - catches)
Kapil Dev 131 - 5258 - 31.1 - 434 - 29.6 - 64
Ian Botham 102 - 5200 - 33.5 - 383 - 28.4 - 120
Imran Khan 8 ...[text shortened]... d 63 - 2201 - 24.5 - 248 - 27.0 - 65
Tony Greig 58 - 3599 - 40.4 - 141 - 32.2 - 87

One player who started off as a great allrounder but due to a back injury ,he stopped bowling as much ,but i think he should be on the list.
The man is no other than STEPHEN WAUGH

What would his brothers stats be also ,Just not sure how many wickets he took ,he certainly scored a lot of runs and took many catches ,one of the greatest slip fieldmen of all time MARK WAUGH

Originally posted by Crowley
Flower (both of them) were great cricketers.

Adam seems to be struggling a bit nowadays, in both forms of the game. For specifically test all-rounder performance I would put Sangakkara at one and Boucher at 2 (one of these days AB de Villiers - man that guy has talent coming out of his ears) above him.

As far as wicket keepers goes there is one called Alan Knott that comes to mind

Originally posted by Red Night

Out of curiousity, how many of these names do you know?

Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Joe Dimaggio, Lou Gehrig, Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Jackie Robinson, Reggie Jackson, Barry Bonds.

Ruth, Dimaggio, Gehrig, Jackson (both), Bonds I've heard of. Notorioty probably helps.

Originally posted by mtthw
Ruth, Dimaggio, Gehrig, Jackson (both), Bonds I've heard of. Notorioty probably helps.

Start a baseball thread ,this is for cricket.

Originally posted by Red Night
So, calling Don Bradman "The Babe Rut hof Cricket" is a bit of a misnomer since Ruth was both a Hitter and a Pitcher?

The Don is more of the "Ted Williams of Cricket?"

Maybe you should start a baseball thread and leave this purely to cricket.
But i guess this happens when you post in a thread that you know nothing about.

Originally posted by boarman
One player who started off as a great allrounder but due to a back injury ,he stopped bowling as much ,but i think he should be on the list.
The man is no other than STEPHEN WAUGH

The Waugh twins test stats:

Steve Waugh 168 - 10927 - 51.1 - 195 - 37.4 - 112
Mark Waugh 128 - 8029 - 41.8 - 59 - 41.2 - 181

So yes, you could classify them as allrounders (especially Steve), though their bowling isn't at the same level as the others mentioned.

OK, I've been posting lots of stats. I might as well go for my choice (though this would probably be different next time I'm asked).

1. Sobers
2. Kallis
3. Imran
4. Botham
5. Miller

I think they'd all have a chance of making a good international team as either batsman or bowler, whereas most of the others would get in on just one of those, or as an allrounder to balance the team. I'm possibly been swayed by Sobers' legendary status, but he does seem the choice for most people that should know what they're talking about.

Keeper-batsman stats (in test batting average order):

(Tests - runs - average - catches - stumpings)
Andy Flower 63 - 4794 - 51.5 - 151 - 9
Kumar Sangakkara 63 - 4900 - 49.5 - 143 - 20
Adam Gilchrist 87 - 5188 - 48.5 - 328 - 36
Alec Stewart 133 - 8463 - 39.5 - 263 - 14
Alan Knott 95 - 4389 - 32.8 - 250 - 19
Jeff Dujon 81 - 3322 - 31.9 - 267 - 5
Mark Boucher 96 - 3582 - 30.1 - 350 - 14

These can be difficult to interpret. For instance, Gilchrist has been keeping to McGrath, Warne etc, so he's going to have had a lot more chances than Andy Flower ever had.

Any other contenders? I've left recent newcomers like Dhoni off because it's probably too soon to judge.

Originally posted by mtthw
Keeper-batsman stats (in test batting average order):

(Tests - runs - average - catches - stumpings)
Andy Flower 63 - 4794 - 51.5 - 151 - 9
Kumar Sangakkara 63 - 4900 - 49.5 - 143 - 20
Adam Gilchrist 87 - 5188 - 48.5 - 328 - 36
Alec Stewart 133 - 8463 - 39.5 - 263 - 14
Alan Knott 95 - 4389 - 32.8 - 250 - 19
Jeff Dujon 81 - 3322 - 31.9 - ...[text shortened]... ntenders? I've left recent newcomers like Dhoni off because it's probably too soon to judge.

Ian Healy

Hello.You forgot Rahul Dravid.He's a keeper too

Rahul Dravid?

Originally posted by Pranay Sajdeh
Rahul Dravid?

He's only an occasional keeper, though, isn't he? I know he's kept wicket quite a few times in one-day internationals (though not as often as he's played as a specialist batsman), but I don't think he's ever kept wicket in a test for India.

(His batting is excellent, of course)

Originally posted by lordhighgus
We Australians revere Sir Don Bradman as a man who was the worlds best at what he did, but yet remained a man of the game and of the people. When he finished playing the game, he went back to his home state and spent the rest of his life working for the game of cricket.
Never disrespect this guy to an Australians face or you will find Aussies go from nice to nasty in an instant.

Oh for God's sake, get over it.
I love cricket and Don Bradman was a champion, but 'revere' him? Next you'll want to nail him to a cross and start praying to him. Maybe we can name a public holiday after him and buy presents for everyone and tell the kids fairy tales and everything ... we could call it Bradsmas!
The guy was a man who could play a game pretty well.
Let's not get too excited.
Oh, and for the non-Aussies out there, don't panic. We're not all maniacs. Say whatever you like about The Don ... (just don't disrespect Warney!) 😉